VOL. 52 ISSUE 32 AUGUST 11, 2015 P47
KTM RECEIVES HEATED WELCOME AT GAS GAS
A
fter having filed for bankrupt-
cy in May of 2015, Gas Gas
has been seeking new investors
to help regain its footing, but
despite their efforts, and even a
small loan from the Spanish gov-
ernment, the brand now faces
liquidation.
On July 30, a group from
KTM and Pierer Industry visited
the Gas Gas facility in Girona,
Spain, where they were received
by a rather unfriendly display.
Gas Gas employees, who don't
wish to suffer the fate of the for-
mer Husqvarna plant in Varese,
Italy, sent a loud and clear mes-
sage to the Austrian visitors with
a hanging effigy dressed in KTM
attire and a pile of burning tires
with a sign that read "KTM this is
not your home." (In English and
German, just to drive the point
home.)
Here is a look at the scene as
captured by Enduro Pro off-road
magazine.
Rumors swirled early this year
about KTM buying Gas Gas, but
the Austrian camp previously
denied any possible acquisition
in a statement issued on March
2. In it, Hubert Trunkenpolz
stated "KTM AG wish make it
clear that there is no intention by
the company to acquire Gas Gas
brand. The KTM AG group is in
a moment of complete dedica-
tion to its two brands, KTM and
Husqvarna, … totally discarding
the incorporation of new brands
to the group."
The recent visit by KTM AG,
however, has Gas Gas employ-
ees believing otherwise, as the
reported purpose of the meet-
ing was to negotiate a possible
purchase.
In response to the looming
prospect, Gas Gas workers
published a heated statement,
on the "Salvemos A Gas Gas"
website (translation: "Save Gas
Gas).
The statement read (translated
into English): "Looking back on
the purchase history of KTM,
other companies acquired have
ended with the closure of its
facilities. This is not the future
we want for Gas Gas.
"With the message that 'this is
not your house,' we want them
to know we will not allow our
facilities to close, and deterio-
rate what little we have left of
our national industrial fabric. The
national off-road industry will not
remain idle while opportunists
seek to profit and monopolize
the European sector of the mo-
torcycle using a maze of com-
panies to take over the entire
market."
View the full statement
(link to: http://salvemosa-
gasgas.webnode.es/news/
los-trabajadores-de-gas-gas-
motos-se-oponen-a-la-compra-
de-la-empresa-por-ktm-y-pierer-
industries/)
Gas Gas workers (94 in total)
remain hopeful in the effort of
finding an investor who will pur-
chase the brand and continue
operations at the Spanish fac-
tory. In the meantime, the com-
pany has expressed its commit-
ment to maintaining support for
Gas Gas dealers and distributors
worldwide.
Jean Turner
